Bank holiday

A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom, some Commonwealth countries, other European countries such as Switzerland, and a colloquialism for a public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although banks close and the majority of the working population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract. The first official bank holidays were the four days named in the Bank Holidays Act 1871*, but today the term is colloquially used (albeit incorrectly) for the two public holidays which are not official bank holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, namely Good Friday and Christmas Day. These last two days were considered such traditional days of rest in those places that it was deemed unnecessary to mention them in the law.

All of that means that today, Easter Monday, was a holiday here in Durham. Since the class I teach doesn't meet again until Wednesday, I am in the middle of a five-day break ... with no where to go!

Perhaps I will wander into the fields looking for lost synagogues or something. If only I had a basket of plover's eggs, some champagne and a Teddy Bear ...

*[And here is where you know you are dealing with someone teaching a History of Law course] The Act designated four bank holidays in England, Wales and Ireland (Easter Monday; Whit Monday [Monday following Pentecost]; First Monday in August; Boxing Day in England and Wales and St Stephen's Day in Ireland), and five in Scotland (New Year's Day; Good Friday; First Monday in May; First Monday in August; Christmas Day).